May 25, 2013

Les Climats in the 7th: A splendid table, creatively presented, awaiting a star?

6.8 Les Climats, 41, rue de Lille in the 7th, 01.58.62.10.08, is open 7/7, (Metro: Rue du Bac) and to my amazement, chef Phan Chi Tam, a VietNamese-Frenchman who has worked at the Ritz, Mandarin Oriental and Kiku, was there today, a Saturday. The menu sounds French-French but the dishes come out arranged in that artistic Japanese way.

But before the main show there were two sorts of superduper gougères (olive and cheese) and afterwards, equally good mignardises - just like in a starred restaurant. And the wine from near Auxerre was a match for all the food.

For firsts we had the carpaccio of beef and four filets each of sardines with a condiment of citron caviar (had to look it up - turns out to be an Aussie rainforest finger lime - whatever - it was delicious.)

Then Madame had the declinaison of all sorts of vegetables available now and the boys both had the mackerel topped with the jelly made from bitter clementines (spectacular). At this point I made a note on my cheat-sheet - 6.5. But no.

Desserts were a bowl full of not-hot/not-cold Epoisses with sweet spices and a sphere of floating island of lime and coconut with ginger and passion fruit (FR Gaudry's editor mispelled it as poisson). Boy were these different, almost at the Ze Kitchen Galerie creativity level.

With good but hard bread, no bottled water and three coffees our bill would come to 111E a couple,

Comments

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John, I've been following your blog for years, I wanted to THANK YOU for this great source of restaurants advices.
We went to Les Climats yesterday evening, it was fantastic, one of the best dining experiences in Paris (way better for example than Cyril Lignac Quinzieme we went to last month).
At dinner the prices are higher than for lunch, but the "Initiation Menu" at EUR75 (1 first, 2 main, 2 desserts) is worth the money, each course is not "degustation", but a generous plate.
Thanks again for sharing your opinions.